“I wandered a long time before I found the stump that had sheltered me during my early days. My family had departed. I was alone, but I made the old house comfortable, and soon forgot my troubles. I preferred a stump to a gilded cage. One night a party of raccoons went out on an excursion to a cornfield. They took me with them. It was then that I met my mate, Serena. Life is happier now than it ever has been before.”
“We thank you for the story of your life,” said Tiny. “Now show us the way to Squirreltown.”
“I have never heard of such a place,” replied the raccoon, after he had thought hard for a few moments.
“It is the largest city in the world and it is a very important one, too,” snapped Chatty. He was vexed at the stranger’s ignorance.
“You are wrong,” said the raccoon as he shook his head doubtfully. “I know that Coontown is much larger. You must ask some other animal to show you the way.”
“Thank you,” said Tiny. He never forgot the value of politeness, although Chatty often did. “We must hasten home.”
“Oh, why did you speak about those blackberries?” he continued, as he turned to Chatty. “We have lost our way. I fear dear mother grieves for me.”
“It was no fault of mine that Mr. Raccoon stopped us to tell the stupid story of his life,” retorted Chatty. “See the acorns under the tree. Some kind fairy knew that we were coming and threw them down.”
Chatty ate greedily, while Tiny swiftly climbed to the top of a huge oak tree and gazed all about him. Nowhere could he see the friendly treetops of Squirreltown.